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58
Repair and Service Manual
BATTERIES AND BATTERY CHARGER
Read all of SAFETY and this section before attempting any procedure. Pay particular attention to Notices, Cautions, Warnings and Dangers.
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Leave the solution on the batteries for a minimum of three
minutes. Use a soft bristle brush or cloth to clean the tops
of the batteries to remove any residue that could cause
the self discharge of the battery. Rinse the entire area
with low pressure clear water. All items required for com-
plete battery cleaning and watering are included in the
Battery Maintenance Kit (P/N 25587G01).
Cleaning should be done once a month or more often
under extreme conditions.
Prolonged Storage
Prior to prolonged storage, the battery charger, controller,
and all other electronic devices must be disconnected.
Otherwise, they will contribute to the premature discharge
of batteries.
The batteries need to be maintained to prevent discharge
during periods of storage.
In high temperatures the chemical reaction is faster, while
low temperatures cause the chemical reaction to slow
down. A vehicle that is stored at 90° F (32° C) will lose
0.002 of specific gravity each day. If a fully charged bat-
tery has a specific gravity of 1.275 and the battery is
allowed to sit unused, it will become partially discharged.
When it reaches 1.240 (usually less than 20 days), it
should be recharged. If a battery is left in a discharged
state, sulfating takes place on and within the plates. Sul-
fating will cause permanent damage to the battery. To
prevent damage, the battery should be recharged. A
hydrometer (P/N 50900G1) can be used to determine the
specific gravity, and therefore the state of charge of a bat-
tery.
In cold conditions, the battery must be fully charged to
prevent the possibility of freezing (Fig. 8). A fully charged
battery will not freeze in temperatures above - 75° F (-60°
C). Although the chemical reaction is slowed in cold tem-
peratures, the battery must be stored fully charged and
disconnected from any circuit that could discharge the
battery.
Disconnect the charger connector from the vehicle recep-
tacle.
Clean the batteries and neutralize and remove all depos-
its from the battery case to prevent self discharge. The
batteries should be tested or recharged at thirty day mini-
mum intervals.
Fig. 8 Freezing Point of Electrolyte
Battery Charging
The battery charger is designed to fully charge the battery
set. Some automatic battery chargers contain an elec-
tronic module that can not activate if the batteries are
severely deep cycled. Automatic chargers will determine
the correct duration of charge to the battery set and will
shut off automatically when the battery set is fully
charged. Always refer to the manufacturer’s instructions
of the specific charger used.
Before charging, the following should be observed:
Do not overfill the batteries. The
charging cycle will increase electro-
lyte volume and force it out of the
battery and damage surrounding
components.
•
The electrolyte level in all cells must be at the
recommended level and the plates covered (See
Electrolyte Level and Water on page 56).
•
Charging must be done in an area that is well
ventilated and capable of removing the hydrogen
gas that is generated by the charging process. A
minimum of five air exchanges per hour is rec-
ommended.
•
The charging connector components must be in
good condition and free from dirt or debris.
•
The charger connector must be fully inserted into
the vehicle receptacle.
•
The charger connector and cord set must be pro-
tected from damage and located in an area to
prevent injury resulting from personnel running
over or tripping over the cord set.
1.100
1.120
1.160
1.200
1.240
1.280
1.140
1.180
1.220
1.260
1.300
-9
-15
-21
-26
-32
-37
-43
-48
-54
-60
-65
-71
E
L
E
C
T
R
O
L
Y
T
E
T
E
M
P
E
R
A
T
U
R
E
SPECIFIC GRAVITY ELECTROLYTE FREEZING POINT
O
C
+15
+5
-5
-15
-25
-35
-45
-55
-65
-75
-85
-95
O
F
PRELIMINARY
